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Rencontres indo-britanniques au Gujerat
37
contained many remains of Hindoo antiquity, in broken columns, mutilated images, and remnants of basso-relievo scattered among dilapidated buildings in the city, I requested they could allow me to select a few of the smallest specimens from the exterior fragments, which I would bring with me to Europe, and erect a temple for their reception in my own garden. Their astonishment increased at this communication, and was followed by a solemn silence. They expressed no apprehension of my ridiculing their religion, but seemed anxious to know why a Christian wished to possess Hindoo idols. I found a little difficulty in convincing them of the general curiosity of Europeans, the gratification it would be to show them those specimens of oriental sculpture, and the delightful association of my own ideas, when I should behold in my own country the precious relics transported from a distant spot endeared by a thousand tender recollections. Their tears flowed when they requested to retire for a few hours, during which they would assemble the recluse religious Brahmins, and in a conclave consider the first request of the kind which they ever heard of. They returned the next morning with countenances indicating mingled sensations of regret at my approaching departure, and of delight at having it in their power to grant my request; to which they acceded in the most liberal manner, desiring I would send my own people to select such specimens as I thought proper, and place them in a temple to Friendship in my own country. I did so, and deputed some Hindoo workmen to collect such images as I pointed out in the dilapidated walls of forsaken dewals27, and from the exterior ornaments at the Gate of Diamonds, which in eight groups now adorn an octagon building, on my estate at Stanmorehill, erected for that purpose, under a linden-grove on the margin of a lake profusely adorned by the nymphea lotos, which, when its snowy petals and expanded foliage are gently agitated by the southern breeze, reminds me of the sacred tanks in Guzerat28.”
ADIEUX À DABHOI: VINIPĀT "DÉCADENCE” DE DHÜMKETU
Au Gujerat, l'épisode semble avoir fortement marqué les mémoires. Il est notamment à l'origine d'une nouvelle écrite par Gaurishankar Govardhanram Joshi, connu sous le pseudonyme de “Dhūmketu” (1892-1965)29, que je traduis ci-dessous avant de tenter d'en saisir les implications.
27. Terme anglo-indien pour "temple": voir Hobson-Jobson s.v.
28. J. FORBES, Oriental Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 340-342; lère éd., vol. II, p. 360-362.
29. Mansukhlal JHAVERI, History of Gujarati Literature. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1978, p. 169-173.
